 | Beasts Author: Bjerkeland, Ingvild | |
| Price: $13.49 | ||
Summary:
The world has been overrun by hitherto unknown beasts. Society has collapsed: the power is gone, cars are abandoned across the highways, and anyone left is hiding from the terrifying creatures—and one another. Thirteen-year-old Abdi and his five-year-old sister Alva are on the run.
Reviews:
Booklist (02/01/25)
The Hornbook (+) (00/07/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 02/01/2025 This tense survival horror follows siblings Abdi and Alva as they sneak through the Norwegian forest on their way to a distant port town, where they hope to be able to catch a boat to a small island—the last place they knew their father was alive. As they try to travel unseen and keep themselves fed and warm, they try to avoid both the monstrous beasts that have taken over the country and killed their mother and the menacingly selfish adults unwilling to help them. Bjerkeland’s short novel, an award winner in Norway, drips with eerie atmosphere and moves at a taut pace. Abdi’s first-person narrative balances the unsettling events with his poignant thoughts and feelings about caring for his younger sister, whose irrepressible attitude is a welcome lightness in this disquieting tale. While the abrupt ending might frustrate some and there are many questions left unanswered, tween readers looking for something scary but not too gory will appreciate the mood cultivated here. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
